The Great Garden Project
The 2024 Garden Project began when the laburnum in the corner was blown partly over in the winds in January. I decided that not only that needed sorting out, but there were other things - oh, and the collapsing shed, which was also in the process of being dismantled and sent to the recycling plant.
I wanted more organised planting, more flowerbeds and less grass. But something that did not need a lot of weeding as I find kneeling very painful.
The first people I asked for help/ideas were two guys who had done my sister's garden - but they admitted they were more hard landscaping than horticulturists and suggested I ask the owner of a local plant nursery for advice on who to contact. This was very useful advice as Mr Watson gave me contact details for a couple of people who were 'proper plantsfolk'. One was a lady and I decided to ask her first.
Dianne understood what I wanted, we chatted and drew up diagrams - and the majority of the work was done in the past few days. It took Dianne, two fit young men, and her brother who was visiting but liked the idea of this garden so volunteered to help. The photos are mainly courtesy of him.
I will put them under a cut -
This one is mine - the view from the kitchen window about an hour or so in;
These are Richard's; Clearing grass to add new beds;
The corner once the laburnum had gone - it was rotting at ground level which is probably why it was blown over.
We also got rid of the forsythia (pretty for a few weeks, but again showing signs of weakness at ground level - caused, we found, by it still being in a pot under the surface!!) and the red carpet roses I put in, because it was impossible to weed under them and they were very, very prickly. The iceberg rose remains against the fence, and Queen of Sweden has moved near the house.
There is a lot of gravel to go in -
Dianne asked if it would be OK for her and Richard to return yesterday to finish the planting and laying down the gravel as the forecast was a lot better than for today, which was the original plan. We were fine with this. Yesterday the sun shone - today it is pouring with rain, so a good shout.
Here is what it looked like by 4pm yesterday, when the work was finished and Dianne, Richard and I sat on the decking and admired it, and even S2C vetured out to have a proper look :)
The new curved bed near the house, with perennials in, but leaving the area along the wall as it was more or less, with roses, the peony and so on.
The edging is made from recycled car tyres and is more or less indestructible. There is a very heavy duty weed matting under the gravel.
And, at the back new planting in the original area of shrubs, with the new bed in front, and a small 'hedge' disguising the wooden edging, adding some more year-round colour, and helping define the areas. There is even a birdbath!
And a few more of my own pictures -
A few extra annuals in my pots for instant colour;
And Carravagio has moved from beside the steps to where he can be seen better from the conservatory!
Next nice day I will take a picture of the replanted area where the laburnum came out, and close ups of some of the new planting.
I am so happy with it that every time I look out the window it makes me smile.
I wanted more organised planting, more flowerbeds and less grass. But something that did not need a lot of weeding as I find kneeling very painful.
The first people I asked for help/ideas were two guys who had done my sister's garden - but they admitted they were more hard landscaping than horticulturists and suggested I ask the owner of a local plant nursery for advice on who to contact. This was very useful advice as Mr Watson gave me contact details for a couple of people who were 'proper plantsfolk'. One was a lady and I decided to ask her first.
Dianne understood what I wanted, we chatted and drew up diagrams - and the majority of the work was done in the past few days. It took Dianne, two fit young men, and her brother who was visiting but liked the idea of this garden so volunteered to help. The photos are mainly courtesy of him.
I will put them under a cut -
This one is mine - the view from the kitchen window about an hour or so in;
These are Richard's; Clearing grass to add new beds;
The corner once the laburnum had gone - it was rotting at ground level which is probably why it was blown over.
We also got rid of the forsythia (pretty for a few weeks, but again showing signs of weakness at ground level - caused, we found, by it still being in a pot under the surface!!) and the red carpet roses I put in, because it was impossible to weed under them and they were very, very prickly. The iceberg rose remains against the fence, and Queen of Sweden has moved near the house.
There is a lot of gravel to go in -
Dianne asked if it would be OK for her and Richard to return yesterday to finish the planting and laying down the gravel as the forecast was a lot better than for today, which was the original plan. We were fine with this. Yesterday the sun shone - today it is pouring with rain, so a good shout.
Here is what it looked like by 4pm yesterday, when the work was finished and Dianne, Richard and I sat on the decking and admired it, and even S2C vetured out to have a proper look :)
The new curved bed near the house, with perennials in, but leaving the area along the wall as it was more or less, with roses, the peony and so on.
The edging is made from recycled car tyres and is more or less indestructible. There is a very heavy duty weed matting under the gravel.
And, at the back new planting in the original area of shrubs, with the new bed in front, and a small 'hedge' disguising the wooden edging, adding some more year-round colour, and helping define the areas. There is even a birdbath!
And a few more of my own pictures -
A few extra annuals in my pots for instant colour;
And Carravagio has moved from beside the steps to where he can be seen better from the conservatory!
Next nice day I will take a picture of the replanted area where the laburnum came out, and close ups of some of the new planting.
I am so happy with it that every time I look out the window it makes me smile.